You are here

Tips & Tricks to Join a Club

Student involvement was likely fairly simple in high school. You might have followed in the footsteps of siblings or upperclassmen, or you might have known what resources were available to you through your coursework and counselors. Sometimes it can be more challenging to find your way in a new environment. Here are some easy tips and tricks to joining a club at RPI.

Each club that has registered with the institute has a club landing page on the Rensselaer Union website. Each landing page contains a description of the club, meeting information, and club officer contact information. Many other pages include dynamic photos and links to social media pages. Explore what the clubs have to offer and get an idea of what clubs you might be interested in joining.

This annual event features nearly 200 student organizations and draws over 1,000 students - upperclassmen and incoming students, alike. This event includes academic and professional honor societies, service organizations, special interest groups, multicultural and religious organizations, performance groups, and more. Meet club members and sign up for mailing lists about club meetings and events. Some clubs give away items, too!

If you are very interested in joining a specific organization, email an officer of the club in advance to make sure you have the correct information about the meeting time and location of the club. See if they are accepting new members and what process new members must go through in order to join the organization.

If you email someone and they don't reply - don't give up! Email a different officer or contact activities@rpi.edu and a member of the Student Activities Staff will do their best to help you get in touch with the club in question.

Some clubs are open to everyone all of the time, others have an application process, while some might require membership dues or an audition. Once you find out the critical information, mark your calendar with any important dates so you don't miss out. If you accidentally miss the audition/application, email an officer to let them know you are interested so they can get you on their interest list for the next round of incoming members.

Going to a meeting alone can be quite intimidating. Depending on the club, there could be a hundred people in the room - or maybe just 5, but chances are you might be walking into a club where members have known each other for a year or more. It might make you feel more comfortable to bring a friend with a similar interest in the organization.

If you aren't sure where to start or what club you would like to join, come and speak with a staff member or student in the Rensselaer Union Admin Office. Folks in the Admin Office know the students and student organizations. They can help you find a club that might suit your personality or interests. To set up a meeting with a staff member, stop in or email activities@rpi.edu.